Maximus of Mine

Page 29 Let The Music Run

After a good dose of laxative, my stomach did feel much better. Finally, peace of mind. Suddenly, I got his snap, it was a cigarette box, "So, I broke up with my girlfriend,"

He invited me to a pub, where he and his friends were drinking midday. Since I had just recovered from a stomach infection, I decided not to drink. I entered the pub, it was a small pub, with tables on the balcony. I could see the giant, green lake as I walked towards that dirty blonde head; brown hair that glowed golden under the light.

"Max,"
He turned back and his face lit up, "Daffine!"
The pub had some old school playing behind us. I pressed my coat behind me on the chair and looked at Max. He didn't look sad at all. I expected something drunk and unrecognisable from grief. But he was calm.

We talked as his friends drank. He didn't drink because he told me he had a weak stomach. Something about such a big, strong man having a weak stomach was oddly adorable. I told him I couldn't eat anything because I still felt very sick. We talked about school, our studies and what we planned to do in our lives.

"You've known me for a while, Daffine" He looked into my eyes. His friends were wasted by then, "Am I a bad person?"
"I don't know. All I know is you're the person who'd stop smoking around someone because they don't smoke. And you're the only person I know who'd be starving and yet not eat because your guest is not eating," He thought I wouldn't notice. He laughed as he crossed his hands on the table, "You got me,"

"You're kind, Max. That's all I know and that's all that'll ever matter to me,"
We looked at each other and it felt like the music was getting louder, I could ever letter in every word of those lyrics. It almost felt like I was falling asleep as he leaned towards me. He grabbed my coat and covered it upon my back.

I smiled, "You're so nice, Max,"

"I know right," I heard Femke. Casper sat before us and began greeting everyone else. Femke stood behind us, "We need to make some space for my fat ass,"
"I'll get up. Take my seat,"
"Oh no, don't go,"

"Just feel like smoking," He took his lighter out of his pocket, "I shouldn't take too long,"

But he took his sweet time. Everyone was talking in Dutch. And I felt left out. I sat quietly for a while, "I'll use the bathroom," I got up and went towards the door. When it closed behind me, the music was sofer and I could see the streetlights slowly light up. We had stayed here for a while.

I saw Max stand near a street light and smoke while looking at the traffic far away on the highway.
"Max," I walked towards him.
"Oh, hey," He threw his cigarette on the road and crushed it under his shoe, "Sorry, I think I took too long,"

"Are you sure you are okay?" I asked.
"No. They are playing all those love songs. I hate them,"

"There's no way you hate love songs,"
"I do. They all are always talking about the same stuff,"

"I think your fervent faith in your way of seeing things has blinded you to the wish of people."
"Yeah. People like you who want to retain what they most cherish in their everyday lives."

"Blue...Dutch eyes... Look at how pretty they look even as they drench in tears
Please smile for I will probably never see them again,
but just the thought of you waiting for me...would always make me come back"

We quietly listened to an old song playing on the tape recorder inside the bar, "What a beautiful song," I looked at Max.
"My grandma used to listen to it. It's from the Second World War,"
"She probably thought of your grandpa when he was away,"

"She did,"

"Isn't it weird how humanity has always been obsessed with love songs, no matter of what era or what genre?"
"We are so enchanted even with the thought of love, yet one can just desperately grasp it before it flies away,"

"True love won't fly away like sand. No matter how far it is...It would always come back to you like waves. And waves are not grasped...They are felt,"

"Something in my heart told me I must have you. You...You make love seem like a longing glance away, embrace me now, let's dance away"

We both look at the traffic ahead of us. It's so peaceful.

-To be continued.